June 2, 1902.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
845 
CARRITT & CO.'S INDIAN TEA 
MARKET REVIEW. 
SEASON 1901-1902. - 
Calcutta, April 1902. 
The season has closed with an actual crop of 
]75J millions, of which 153 millions have been 
exported to the United Kinodom ; tlie corres- 
ponding; ligures for last year were 187^ and 161 
millions respectively. 
The shortage in outturn, as compared with last 
year, has amounted to about 12 mfllio s ; Assam 
made 2| millions, Cachar 4J millions, and Sylhet 
4{ le.<s ; other minor districrs also contribnled 
to the shortage. The Dooars' crop wPighed out 
about J million more than last yei'.r ; this is 
accounted for by the recent extensions comiiij^ into 
full beaiing; ou last year's area of matnre tea 
this district would have been appreciably behind 
in outturn. The yield from Darjeeliny was practi- 
cally the same as last year. 
The quality of the ciop, as a whole, lias been 
good and above the average. Assam sent ex- 
cellent teas forward up to September when qua- 
lity fell away, and the concluding week's 
manufacture was disappointing, there being a very 
noticeable dearth of true autunm-tiavoured tea. 
Cachar and Sylhet have supiilied clean useful 
types, and the teas have sliown a marked im- 
provement, both in respect of appearance and 
liquor. "The Darjeeling crop has been fully 
average, the proportion of really fine tea has, 
perhaps, been smaller than usual, but on the other 
hand there has been less of the thin pointless 
types. Dooars and Terai, especially the former 
district, have sent forward particularly good 
crops ; they have been the best seen for a number 
of years. 
A few Nilgiri teas have found their way to 
this market, and we believe sellers have been 
well satisfied with the result of their venture. 
There is always a demand here for these types, 
particularly the higher quality kiiids, and there 
is room for freer supplies. An invoice from 
" Daverashola " was very well received towards 
the close of the season. 
The market features of the past year have 
been the higher range of prices at which low 
grades have been selling, and the proportionately 
low level of value of all teas above this category, 
but more especially the higher grades ; the one 
movement is collateral with the other, an^i is attri- 
butable to a smnller supply ot common tcii. 
The pisti year will be remembered .a.s one of 
unusual irrportauce in the history of I lie indus- 
try ; twelve months ago the effects of an over- 
aba adant supply of indifferent tea were being 
keenly felt and prospects for the approaching 
season were anything but bright. The position 
at the moment is very different, nevertheless the 
crisis through wliich the inilustry has been pass- 
ing cannot ba regarded as over. The improved 
conditions and outlook are solely attributal)le to 
the production of a smaller and better qinlity 
crop brought about by a more careful systi'ni (}f 
plucking and considerably assisted by elimalic 
influences. 
Growers are to be congratulated upon their 
determination and seU-restrainti shown in the 
matter of curtailing supjdies a-jd iniprovin,' 
quality. During the early mouths of the season 
there was much to dishearten them ; it was an 
exceptionally late opening, and outturns fell 
appallingly behind the average for a uuiuber of 
i07 
years. In addition to this the markets took 
sotne time to respond and no compensating advance 
in prices was immediately seen. 
It was not uniil the season had well advanced 
that tea hardened in value, but with a consistent 
shortage in supplies this movement became 
accentuated and the avernge level of value of 
Indian tea is now about ^d. better than at this 
lime last year, 
It cannot, howevei', be said that the working 
oi the past season shows uniformly better results 
to producers than last year. The course of tlie 
markets has not treated individual interests 
alike ; generally speaking, ailvantages have been 
counteracted by drawbacks and no real benefit 
has yet been gained. Low grade teas have ad- 
vanced in value, but gardens producing them lost 
most heavily in outturn ; the value of medium 
grades upward has not risen to any appreciable 
extent, but though short crops have been made 
they have not weighed so heavily in the balance. 
The ad\ance in value has been chiefly conliiied 
to the lower grades, and Assam gardens particu- 
larly may be disappointed with the comparatively 
small recovery in prices so far shown. 
The tendency, however, is in the right direction. 
There is very clear evidence of pro-^perous times 
ahead and not so far distant. The action of 
growers during the past season has undoubtedly 
averted a crisis in the industry ; they now lind 
themselves in a stronger position at the close of 
a single .-eason, with a brighter outlook for the 
future before tli m. so long as they persevere in 
their determination to curtail outturn and im- 
prove quality. It is interesting and instructive 
to go into figures and f^et some idea of what the 
conditions might have been, had the industry 
failed to recognise its serious position before a 
start was made on the past year's crop. Owing 
to the absence of outturn and export figures of 
the crop from Southern India, it is difficult 
to compile an absolutely accurate estimate, but 
a very fair idea can nevertheless be formed from 
details at hand. It is probable that, had similar 
conditions of weather and manufacture existed in 
1901-1902 as in 1900 1901, the quantity to be 
accounted for tlirough Calcutta would have 
totalled 192^ millions, of which about 166J millions 
would have been shipped to the United Kingdom. 
This heavy crop would have had much the same 
effect on prices as in 1900. By reason of unfavour- 
able weather, however, and more careful plucking, 
the actual crop and shipments to the United 
Kingdom have been reduced to the much more 
moderate limits of 175^ millions and 153 millions 
respectively. 
From now onwards the industry should rea- 
lise the vital importance of keeping the crop 
within reasonable bounds, ami particularly 
during the ensuing two to three years, as the 
period is now being passed when large extensions, 
made a few years ago, come into full bearing. 
Weather was abnormal last year, atul playe<l a 
very important part in levelling down supplies, 
and it cannot be expected to have the same 
infiiience for some time. The position must there- 
fore be met by strict adherence to careful )iluck- 
ing. The producer has recovered considerable 
strength during the past twelve mon'lis and he 
will continue to do so, provided the markets are 
fed judiciously ; breathing time will be given to 
enable demand to come abreast of supply audit 
will r\ot be long before "Tea" will offer as sound 
an investirjenti as can be fouml. The pist twQ 
